The Good Stuff:

It’s spooky season and we are celebrating by bringing you Alec Bradley’s latest twist on their Black Market Fitlhy Hooligan cigar, the Fithly Ghooligan. While the overall blend remains the same, the Ghooligan replaces the candela portion of it’s barber-pole wrapper with a Connecticut Broafleaf tobacco. Alongside the twitsed Ecuadorian Habano wrapper the cigar features an Indonesian binder and fillers from Nicargua and the Dominican Repuclic. The cigar is offered in a single 6 x 50 format which comes packaged in boxes of 24 running $14 per cigar.

• Size: 6 x 50
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano / Connecticut Broadleaf
• Binder: Indonesian
• Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
• Body: Medium
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $14

Prelight:

Let’s just get it out of the way, The Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan is a gorgeous cigar. The barber-pole is done excellently. The cigar features a very dark sliver of wrapper which is incredibly consistent in color and very dark brown. The alternate sliver is a medium brown with an awesome orange sheen to it as the light reflects off it. Both wrappers are very oily while the darker one carries much more grit and tooth and than the lighter one. The beautiful barber-pole design carries through the body of the cigar right up to the cigar’s round, double-wrapped cap. The cigar feels very well packed and has no soft spots at all located anywhere throughout the body. The cigar is polished off with a Halloween-themed white, orange and black band featuring ghosts and the Filthy Ghooligan crest as well as a secondary band with the words “Black Market” inked across the front.

The wrapper on the Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan gives off some very sweet aromas mixed with woodsy scents while the foot of the cigar has some massive earthy/barnyard/tobacco aromas. After clipping the cap the cigar releases mostly sweet raisin and woodsy flavors on the cold draw.

First Third:

I was shocked that the Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan didn’t give off even the slightest of pepper upon lighting it up. What it did offer was loads of opening cedar and musk over lots of earthiness and sweet raisin with lighter notes of espresso and pecan. Despite the cigar being very tightly packed the draw was effortless, kicking out huge clouds of thick white smoke with each puff which dissipated pretty quickly as the cigar released only minor amounts of stationary smoke while it rested in my ashtray The burnline is absolutely razor thin and dead even leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted white ash which held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan the main flavors are still cedar and musk. While the raisin is still hanging in there but fading a bit an awesome dark chocolate is sneaking in to take its place. I also taste a good amount of pecan and espresso. The retrohale is pretty much just straight wood so I don’t find myself doing it too often. The cigar is burning flawlessly and I close out the second third with nothing in terms of nicotine.

Finish:

The sweetness and raisin has now completed dropped out of the flavor profile in the Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan. The overall dry mixture of woodsy flavors over musk, espresso, dark chocolate and pecan make for a great autumn profile. It took me about an hour and a half to take the cigar down to the nub. I experienced no harsness, nor any extended heat. The cigar burned absolutely perfect from start to finish with no extra help needed from my torch.

Overview:

I have actually always enjoyed all of Alec Bradley Black Market releases and I look forward to each new one. The Filthy Hooligan has been high on my list however I may have just found the cigar that tops it. The Filthy Ghooligan brings a more complex, and bolder flavor profile to the line and the flavor profile matches up much more with my personal preference. The cigar offers a lot of flavors, without the cost of having a potent cigar as the strength remained in the medium realm from start to finish. This cigar is a little pricer than other, however I feel it’s worth the price of admission.

The post Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Showcased at the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show, Magic Toast by Alec Bradley is manufactured in Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas in Danli, Honduras. The cigar features a Honduran wrapper over a double binder from Nicaraguan and Honduras and filler tobaccos from the same two countries. Magic Toast is available in three sizes Robusto (5 by 52), Toro (6 by 52), and Gordo (6 by 60) and will run you between $8.95 to $10.25 per cigar.

You can purchase Magic Toast by Alec Bradley from our good friends at Famous Smoke Shop.

THE FACTS

Price: $9.50
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 52
Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Nicaraguan/Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan/Honduran
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Magic Toast is draped in an extremely dark brown wrapper with even darker splotching. Thin black veins crisscross down the leaf. I do not see or feel any tooth, but there are some scattered bumps. The cigar is rolled firmly and evenly from top to bottom.

The cap cuts with ease and opens up a fine draw with just the right amount of resistance. With all my excitement to fire up this cigar that has received rave reviews, I completely skipped over noting any of the cold draw flavors. My apologies. 

FIRST THIRD

The Magic Toast opens with a toasty/meaty profile of toasted bread and full pepper spices. The flavors come out of the gate full and the texture of the smoke is thick in the mouth.  As the cigar warms up, a sweet berry sweetness moves into the profile and compliments the other qualities of the cigar. A wavy burn forms a black and white layered ash.

MIDDLE THIRD

Progressing into the second third, the toasted and meaty flavors are now joined with earth and coffee.  The new additions to the flavor department are also the flavors that linger on the finish of the smoke. As I move the smoke through my nose, there is a bright white pepper that is full but also a great addition to the experience. There is a ton of depth to the flavors and a good amount of strength showcased by the cigar. A quick hit with the lighter is needed to get the burn back to even.

FINAL THIRD

A gritty earth note is carrying the Magic Toast along with a black coffee holding it ground right beside it. The early berry sweetness is more jelly-like in the last third of the cigar, but it is also toned back from the introductory sweetness. The overall profile seems to have settled with everything meshing well together. The burn is the best it has been and no additional touch-ups are needed.

WRAP-UP

Alec Bradley cigars are hit or miss for me. But the Magic Toast is something special. The evolving profile and great depth in the flavors made this an absolute treat to smoke. The strength pushed full and the retro-hale is a must with this cigar. Other than the minor burn issue, I have no real complaints and I can easily see why the Magic Toast rated so well on a wide variety of review sites. I may be reaching for an Alec Bradley cigar next time I walk into the humidor.

The post Alec Bradley Magic Toast appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Up for grabs is a 5 pack of the Gotham Heroes by Alec Bradley with is blended exclusively for Gotham Cigars. You may be familiar with this blend already as Jeff wrote up a fantastic piece on them a few months back. The contest is currently live and will run through February 12th! The winner will be announced on Monday, February 13th. Entry is simple, just use the Rafflecopter widget below and cross your fingers!

View more information on the Gotham Heroes by Alec Bradley at Gotham Cigars.

Read Jeff’s Review on the Gotham Heroes by Alec Bradley.

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I had great plans of fitting in several more cigar reviews before the close of 2014, but it was not possible with the busy holiday season and year-end work responsibilities. At the end of November, I received for review several samples of the King David by Alec Bradley from our good friends at Mike’s Cigars, which I will finally be reviewing today. King David is the third Mike’s Cigars exclusive that we have reviewed here at Casas Fumando. I was rather impressed by the other shops exclusives that I had the pleasure of smoking. You can find the two other reviews below:

• Romeo Y Julieta – Primer Lote 770
• La Gloria Cubana – Domino 758

Produced in Honduras, the King David by Alec Bradley is available in five frontmarks: Corona Extra (4 3/4 by 45), Gran Robusto (5 by 55), Gran Toro (6 by 54), Churchill (7 by 52), and Gordo (6 by 60). The price ranges from just above $6.00 for the Corona Extra up to $12.50 for the Gordo. The prices significantly decreases for five packs and 20-count boxes. Lenin Euceda, Social Media Manager of Mike’s Cigars, provided me the following background on today’s stick:

The new King David by Alec Bradley cigars is made in Honduras under the watchful eye of Alan Rubin, president of Alec Bradley cigars. All Alec Bradley cigars are high quality and made of premium aged tobacco and the King David is no different.  The cigar is finished with a silky golden roll of pure Connecticut leaf which paves the way for a perfectly light aroma that marries with the Honduras/Nicaraguan blend and the Sumatra binder. Just like other non-heavy smokes that feature light wrapper but  rich and complex flavors, the King David is easy on the palate and full of tastes at the same time.

The Facts

Samples Provided by Mike’s Cigars
Price: $7.85/single, $24.95/5-pack, and $94.95/20-Count Box
Vitola: Gran Robusto
Size: 5 by 55
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Sumatran
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The King David is dressed in a very light tan Connecticut wrapper leaf. Small and medium-sized veins are easily seen against the light colored wrapper, as well as some bumps and color imperfections. When I first removed the cigar from its cellophane, I was met with big notes of barnyard/manure. Having the cigar outside of the cellophane for pictures, the aroma off the wrapper has significantly toned down.

There is now only faint notes of natural tobacco and cedar. I do not find much more off the unlit foot of the cigar, but feel a light spice sting in the sinuses. Upon clipping the neatly applied double cap, a just about perfect draw presents itself with notes of clove, cedar, and pickling spices.

First Third

The profile is very mild at the start with a subtle natural tobacco sweetness and some faint cedar notes. As the cigar warms, the woodsy notes come to the front of the profile and pepper is really showcased with each retrohale. A thick, eyeliner burn-line has a slight wave but behaving overly well. The ash has yet to drop as I close out the first third.

Middle Third

Moving into the second third, the texture of the smoke has evolved and is now much more creamy and thick in the mouth. The flavors are now in the medium range but remain very easy on the palate with the creamy feel, along with balanced notes of wood, leather, and natural tobacco sweetness. The burn has been a bit edgy through the middle third but nowhere near the point of requiring a touch-up. The second ash held half as long as the first and dropped in the middle of my keyboard.

Final third

The main flavors remain consistent with the previous two thirds. However, I am noticing some bitterness that I find on most Connecticut shade cigars, as well as a toasted quality. Lengthening the time between draws seems to minimize the bitterness. The smoke production is awesome. The smallest draw fills my mouth with the medium flavored smoke.

Wrap-up

The King David was very different than my typical go-to cigars. I could probably count on one hand the number Connecticut shade cigars I smoked in 2014 and even less Alec Bradley cigars, if any.  But I was pleasantly surprised by the King David. The mild to medium flavors were easy on the palate and the natural tobacco sweetness rounded out the profile. The performance was exceptional with a mostly even burn, firm ash, and copious amount of smoke production. The only downfall I noted was the bitterness in the final third that can be easily avoided by slowing my pace. This is a cigar I would  reach for first thing in the morning as the sweetness in the cigar would compliment a black cup o’ Joe.  Also, this would be a great cigar for mild cigar smokers and newbies to the cigar world.

The post Alec Bradley – King David, a Mike’s Cigars Exclusive appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Info: The Alec Bradley Mundial is one of the few new releases that they featured at this year’s IPCPR. While it is barely starting to trickle into shops, this release is limited to only 3,000 total boxes this year with five sizes ranging from 4 ¼ x 52 to 7 x 52. All of which feature a pointed foot  much like an open figurado but with a standard round cap. This blend has been worked on for several years now before Alan Rubin finally put the finishing touches on it this year. The cigar’s limited release is due to production limitations at the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras which will feature a Honduran wrapper, a dual Nicaraguan/Honduran wrapper, and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler. These will range from $9.95 to $15.95 a stick.

Prelight: As stated, the Mundial has a unique shape to it. The cap starts with a standard double cap you find on most cigars on shelves today, but finishes off with a very pointed, open foot. The wrapper is very, very dark brown and incredibly consistent in color. There is a small amount of tooth and a whole crap load of oils covering this bad boy. This cigar has probably the nicest band I have seen from Alec Bradley. Huge teal/white/blue/gold crests along with a secondary, elegant Mundial band. Love it.

Burn/Draw: The Mundial started burning out strangely well. Usually these tapered feet lead to upfront burn issues but I didn’t run into any in this case. The burn on this cigar was slow. In fact, it was probably the slowest burning cigar I have ever had. I smoked the robusto size and it took me almost 2 hours to smoke it down. The burnline was real thick, but burned consistent all the way though leaving behind a thick, dark grey ash. The draw was a bit tight until I got though the taper. Once I did the draw really opened up and the Mundial started kicking out mouthful after mouthful of thick smoke.

Taste: Right off the back there was some real strong dark chocolate and espresso notes, some sweetness, and real soft pepper. As I got to the halfway mark a ton of cedar started to creep in with a bit of spice which replaced the pepper while the chocolate and espresso really took off. The finish was much like the second third only there was a lot more sweetness and a good amount of strength. I was actually surprised that this cigar had the power it did. It wasn’t a powerhouse, but it packs a punch.

Thoughts: The Mundial is a great cigar. It has a whole ton of very bold flavors and a good amount of strength. It’s not overly complex, but I enjoyed what it had to offer. That being said, the cost is a bit high. I could see myself picking up a few of these as it offers a great experience, but I won’t go breaking my bank to keep them in my humidor.

Raices Cubanas 1941

Info: Alec Bradley has always had a great relationship with the infamous Raices Cubanas factory. The two have teamed up this year to bring us the Raices Cubanas 1941. The cigar will be made at the Raices Cubanas factory and will be distributed by Alec Bradley. It is said that the cigar’s blend will be based off of some of the greatest hits the factory has ever created. The Raices Cubanas 1941 starts with a Honduran wrapper, Nicaraguan Binder, and finishes with a mixture of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. The cigar will be released in four standard sizes (Robusto, Toro, Churchill, and Gordo) and will come packaged in boxes of 20. Like the Mundial, these should start hitting shops very soon. This will be a regular production cigar and the size I am smoking (Toro) clocks in at about $9.50 – $10 a stick.

Prelight: the Raices Cubanas 1941 starts with a gorgeous medium brown wrapper. I love Honduran wrapper leaf cause it really showcases the webbing, darker colors, and the natural characteristics of the tobacco. The texture is remarkably smooth with some slight oils as it’s finished off with a big, round, double cap. The band is a semi-modern style almost resembling something you might find in the “old west”. It’s red, white, black, and gold with a large “Raices Cubanas” crest and the number “1941” on the front. The band features “Baez, Cuba” on one side of the back and “Danli, Honduras” on the other. Baez is where Romay Endernano who runs Raices Cubanas was born, Danli is where the Raices Cubanas factory is located. The year 1941 represents the year Romay was born.

Burn/Draw: The burnline is dead even and razor sharp on this 1941. In fact, it stayed perfect the entire experience which lasted just over an hour. The draw is spot-on. Each puff kicks out a nice amount of smoke. The ash left behind was bright white and extremely compacted. So compact that it held on for almost 2 inches before giving way.

Taste: The Raices Cubanas 1941 starts out with a lot of natural tobacco flavors, some soft pepper and spice along with a bit of honey and citrus. All natural/earthy flavors. As I smoke on a really musky, almost cologne flavor started to creep in. Not sure what’s causing it, but it’s fantastic. Into the final third the cedar and muskiness really ramped up while the citrus and honey began to fade out. There was some real interesting pepper in the final inch as well.

Thoughts: If there was a competition between the two, for my preference, the Racies Cubanas 1941 is the clear winner. Again, it matches up to my flavor profile perfectly with lots of cedar, citrus, spice, with a natural/earthy composition. The construction was flawless, and it was a bit more complex. The price may be a bit steep as well, but you gotta expect that from the Raices Cubanas factory. While I may not be searching out a box of these either I think that if I had to choose between the two I’d rather keep of few of these guys around.

The post Quick Draw Episode 17 – Alec Bradley Mundial and Raices Cubanas 1941 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

In case you missed any of our other Quick Draws, here are the links and the cigars contained:

• Quick Draw Episode 1 – Gran Habano Connecticut #1 and Cohiba Siglo VI
• Quick Draw Episode 2 – P. Benitez Connecticut and Padron’s Serie 1926 #6
• Quick Draw Episode 3 – Quesada Oktoberfest Bavaria and Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos

If you haven’t read one of our Quick Draws before, it’s basically a quick review of a cigar we’ve recently had. Perhaps revisiting an old one, trying a new one, something we didn’t intend to review but surprised us, or whatever other reason we can think of. Without any more blabbering, let’s just jump right in.

Tatuaje Monster Series #1 – The Frank – Tony

It’s been a while since I personally have done a Quick Draw. Mainly because, well I don’t know really. It’s been a crazy last couple of weeks. Busy at home, work, you get the idea. Anyways, recently I was lucky enough to fire up one of the most sought after cigars in the country. Tatuaje’s Monster Series #1, the infamous Frank.

I know some of you wanted a review of this, but quite FRANKly (rimshot), there really is no point. This isn’t a cigar you will be able to find unless you already have a few lying around, or you have a really awesome friend (right Daniel?). There is some good news though. Recently Pete Johnson rumored that he might be making a “mini monster” series. Smaller vitola versions of the current line-up. And rumored to be amongst those blends is the mini-Frank, or whatever he called it. So keep a look out for those.

Anyways, I was a HUGE fan of the Boris. In fact, I think that was one of the best blends Pete has ever released. And the Frank is supposed to be the same blend, only with a Connecticut Broadleaf Wrapper. I’m a sucker for Broadleaf so you know I jumped all over that. Anyways, the cigar is a monster (double rimshot). Seriously, this thing is a huge. Beautiful looking deep, dark, toothy wrapper. I was surprised that almost 4 years later it still had so much oil! The flavors were exactly what I had imagined, some very, very sweet tobacco, lots of chocolate, woodsy and even some maple flavors with a splash of spice. After only a few puffs in I could totally taste the resemblance to the Boris, except, it seemed very subtle and washed out. The more I smoked this cigar the more flat it became. I really wish I had smoked one of these at it’s initial release so that I could make a comparison, but I think that all the age on this cigar worked against it. That’s not the first time that has happened to me. Not all cigars age well, and through all the hype I would have to imagine this was another blend that fell into that category.

Ahh well. At least Boris’s are still around through trades (I smoked the heck out of mine), and if the mini-monster series of this does get released I can make a solid judgment on it.

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend – Daniel

The weather in Toronto continues to be totally wacky lately, just 2 weeks ago we were wearing shorts in awesome high 70’s temps and just yesterday we had freezing rain. It makes no sense! But luckily the temps have been somewhat favorable for cigar smoking outside so I try to make the most of it. I’m always looking for new sticks to try and even revisit old brands I may not have had good luck with. Today I’ll be hitting up the Alec Bradley American Classic Blend.

The AB is a beefy looking cigar with it’s thick 60-ring gauge and at 6 inches, it’s not the faint at heart smoker. Be prepared for a nice long smoking session when you choose this stick. The cigar itself offers up a nice smooth wrapper and fairly springy consistency when squeezed, even though the foot appears to be quite well packed. The cap clipped easily and the foot toasted up nicely using my favorite culinary/creme brulee torch (get one of these if you don’t have one, I love mine!)

The cigar itself I felt was another classic Alec Bradley. I seem to have mostly the same opinion when it comes to Alec Bradleys and this is how it went. I started off the cigar with a nice mix of medium body flavors including a bit of woodsiness, leather and a touch of earthy flavors. There was some spice that snuck in now and then as well. Now my biggest gripe here was that those flavors didn’t really change much through the whole time I smoked this. A massive 6×60 cigar that is fairly one-dimensional gets boring for me very fast. That’s not to say the flavors were bad, they were fine but I needed and wanted a change up within the first third. That seems to be a continual event with me and Alec Bradley sticks. So a shorter vitola probably would have held my attention but in this monster size, I got bored pretty quick. I might pick a smaller vitola of this blend one day but I don’t think it’ll be on my primary shopping list any time soon.

Now I need to point out that the brew I paired this cigar with was damn fantastic! It was a Tripel from La Trappe breweries, a traditional Trappist ale. Seems like Tony has something right about this Belgian brews. IT was full of a mix of dark and light fruity flavors, everything from citrus to a nice deep blackberry, mixed with a ton of malt and even a touch of toffee or caramel. Definitely worth picking this up if you can find some!

The post Quick Draw Episode 4 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Today I reached into my Cuban humidor to pick out a stick from a box I recently ordered. I hadn’t tried a Hoyo de Monterrey Spicure Especial prior to this little box purchase so I started off with a 10 count box to see how I would like them before I bought a larger box. The cigars have the standard Hoyo De Monterrey bands with an additional white band below that with the “Epicure Especial” name on it,

Hoyo De Monterrey is one of the many cigar manufacturers from Cuba and they offer a fair variety of cigars. I’ve dabbled in some of their other vitolas and heard good things about this one, especially considering their fair price tag. So I bit the bullet and grabbed a box. The cigars come in a cedar box of 10 with a sliding lid. This damn lid practically required a vice grip to get off! Needless to say, the lid never went back on the box after that… So after prying the lid off I got to see my cigars.

The Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure Especial come bound together with a nice golden yellow ribbon adorned with the cigar name. The name of the cigar is very misleading considering it’s actual vitola. A typical epicure is much smaller but this cigar is almost a full toro size! As I smoke this I’m sitting outside enjoying some awesome sunny weather. Let’s see how this cigar stacks up!

Cigar: Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure Especial
Drink: Unibroue Brewery Maudite
Vitola: Epicure Especial (5.8 x 50)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: About $8
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The wrapper on this cigar is fairly rough looking with quite a few bumps and some medium sized veins running along it
• The color of the wrapper is a nice deep brown, almost chocolate and shines with it’s oiliness
• The top of the Epicure Especial is finished with a triple cap, not messy but not perfectly clean either
• The foot of the cigar looks fairly well packed with no gaps to be seen
• A slight squeeze reveals a fairly firm cigar with just a little springiness to it
• The cut on this cigar was super easy and fell off in one clean piece

Burn:
• Toasting was very simple, the tobacco started glowing quickly
• Turns out the toasting wasn’t too even so I needed a little touch up shortly after lighting
• After that minor correction we’ve be running in auto-pilot! No problem for the first couple of inches at all
• Discovered a little tunnel after the first ash and it’s making the burn a little lopsided now, will need a touch up
• Cigar actually went out a bit early

Smoke & Ash:
• Right off the bat I’m getting a ton of smoke from each draw
• The resting smoke is fairly minimal and gives off an almost campfire type of aroma, like burning wood
• Ash is a little rough looking but it’s staying compact and clean
• The color on the ash is a fairly light grey with some spots being nearly white
• I started to get a bit of flaking on the ash as it grew to almost 2 inches in length
• First ash fell calmly into the ashtray just short of 2 inches

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper of the Epicure Especial gives off a nice cedar aroma with a slight nuttiness to it
• Pre-light draw is very woodsy and has some nice spice added into the mix, a bit of white pepper and some raw nutmeg
• Initial draws bring more of the woodsy notes and a very creamy undertone, I’m very surprised to see the pre-light spice is almost completely gone
• So far the body is fairly mild but smooth and creamy, retrohale has almost no bite to it with a cedar finish
• I’m getting a little bit of the saltiness that Tony always mentions in his Cuban reviews
• There are some slight hints of leather here and there along with some bits of roasted coffee
• There’s a lot going on the the flavor department, very complex but it’s very smooth, balanced and tasty so I’m enjoying it quite a bit
• As the cigar hits the half-way mark, some of the initial spice is making a comeback with a bit of nutmeg and clove
• All the flavors seemed to slowly intensify as I passed the halfway mark with the coffee and woody notes still being the most prominent
• As I approach the nub I’m getting some interesting earthy and vegetal flavors I wasn’t expecting
• The body had a nice buildup to the finish and started to turn a tad bitter with under an inch to go

Final Thoughts:
Well there’s not much I can say about this stick other than I really liked it! What a great and relaxing experience! The cigar had a nice variety of flavors that were always well balanced and enjoyable. The smooth and creamy aspects made it a pleasure to smoke along with a great burnline. The price of these is also very fair coming in at around $8. It’s not an “in-your-face” cigar and if you prefer a lot of strength you won’t find it here. The little bit of build-up near the end was a nice turn as I was expecting it to be mild the whole way through. Considering the age of this cigar being only from 2009 I think another year would make the last bit just as smooth but it’s still a tasty cigar.

Pairings:
Another Canadian craft brew for me today. The Maudite from Unibroue Brewery! I’ve had this one with quite a few other reviews including the Alec Bradley Family Blend, La Aurora 1495 and My Father Le Bijou 1922. It’s a very tasty and smooth strong beer with an 8% alc/vol. I’ve sai it before and I’ll say it again, this does not taste like a strong beer AT ALL! It’s so smooth and light tasting. you get some fruity/tart undertones with a slight malty bitterness and a clean finish. Very enjoyable and seems to pair well with a lot of cigars. It did pair fairly well here although I think a nice porter or stout would have gone better from the brew category. Port of course would have been perfect and a strong coffee would have been excellent as well.

The post Hoyo De Monterrey – Epicure Especial (Cuban) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Now let me tell you why I’m doing this. My reasons are two fold… The first is completely Tony’s fault. Big surprise right? lol. He’s bragged about this cigar a few times and how much he enjoys it. A few days ago we started chatting about how I’ve never really been impressed by an Alec Bradley cigar, so he tightened the chains on my desk and told me I had to review it, or else! Ok, not really, but he did ask me to give it a chance. Secondly, I was at a little BBQ herf (Hosted by a good BOTL, Lou at Rumours Furniture) today and had another discussion on Alec Bradley. This time it was with one of Lou’s friends named Jarvis. A really nice guy who also started bragging about Alec Bradley…

So, I basically caved in and decided to give this cigar a try. I had a few Prensado cigars but only in this vitola so that’s why I’m reviewing it instead of a new vitola. I won’t go through and re-write all the good stuff about Alec Bradley or the store of this blend. Check out Tony’s review of the Prensado or you can also get more info from my review of the Family Blend and the Vice Press. So without further adieu, I sit here in my backyard on a warm and damp evening while I prepare to clip the cap of this cigar and see where my Alec Bradley bias takes me…

Cigar: Alec Bradley Prensado
Drink: Six Grapes Reserve Tawny Porto
Vitola: Box-Pressed Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Honduran Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan/Honduran
Price: $9
Burn Time: A little over 1 hour

Construction:
• Very smooth box pressed appearance with a darker milk chocolatey colored wrapper
• There are almost no veins and the ones that are visible are very thin
• The top of the cigar is finished with a smooth triple cap that blends in very well
• The foot of the cigar is very well packed as is the rest of the cigar which is very firm to the touch
• Cutting was firm but clean
• Draw is just about perfect despite the firm feel of the cigar, no problems in this department
• The band was perfectly applied, it didn’t just fall off but still slid off easily

Burn:
• Toasting was easy and lit up fairly quickly to a nice even glow
• A slight touchup was needed at the start but other then that it is burning very well
• As I hit the halfway point, I’m happy to see no burn issues and it’s coming along razor sharp
• A slight burn issue near the last third, but it corrected itself without my intervention
• Cigar burned a bit hot in the last inch but I kept smoking it anyway

Smoke & Ash:
• I was met with lots of smoke right off the bat here, fills your mouth nicely
• The ash first appears to be nice and strong, well constructed and definitely pressed
• The color on the ash is a little dark, venturing from a medium grey to an almost black
• Ash continued nice and strong until about the 1 inch mark when it fell off into the ashtray, I thought it would last longer since it looked so well packed
• All other ashes were about the same 1 inch and kept the clean and strong look to them

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper gives off an interesting sweet aroma, mixing some nice cocoa and coffee notes
• The foot offers more sweet coffee notes and a bit of mild tobacco, as well as a mild spice
• The pre-light draw seems to have lost the sweetness and is replaced mostly by a tobacco flavor, some woodsiness and a bit of peppery spice on my lips
• Initial flavors really pop on this cigar but are not overpowering, I was met with a good helping of leather and cedar alongside a touch of coffee and nutmeg-like spices
• The retrohale on this cigar is giving a nice light bite with a smooth woodsy finish
• This cigar is very well balanced, I’m figuring it’s in the medium to full range but it’s so smooth that it doesn’t feel that way
• As I reach the halfway mark, the spice is picking up a bit with a little more pepper and raw nutmeg
• The coffee and leather notes are also developing nicely and adding some roasted flavor to it
• Getting into the last third, the coffee flavors have sort of tapered off but the woodsy and cedar notes are making a nice appearance
• There’s been a nice creaminess from the start that has persisted and is just getting better as he cigar progresses
• The smoothness continued right to the nub with a great balance the whole way through

Final Thoughts:
Ok, I gotta honestly say that I enjoyed this cigar. I went in with some bias as you can tell from my intro but it seems that once again you can’t judge a book by it’s cover (or it’s brand). It started off with a nice burst of flavor and burned well through most of the cigar. The box-pressed shape was also very comfortable and a perfect size to smoke. The body was into the fuller range but the smoothness and balance made it blend in so nicely. So I must avow that I found an Alec Bradley cigar I enjoyed from start to finish. Now the biggest downside to this cigar was the price. I didn’t look up the price until after I smoked it and I was a little shocked, especially since it’s one of the smaller vitolas in the line. This did not taste like a $9 cigar to me and that disappointed me because it was pretty good on all other accounts… I wouldn’t say this cigar makes me an Alec Bradley convert but it will open my eyes to at least try a few more blends from this brand.

Pairings:
Today we have another new port that I stumbled across at the liquor store recently. It’s called Six Grapes and is considered to be a Reserve Tawny Port which was bottled in 2004. I was pleasantly met with a great mixture of in-you-face fruit mostly dominated by a strong blackberry tartness. The port also had a nice full bodied feel to it and coated the palate very smoothly leaving a nice sweetness on the tongue. The coating of your palate is one of my favorite aspects of pairing port and cigars because it’s like a fresh cleanse after each sip. It paired excellently with the woodsy and spicy notes of the cigar. I would definitely recommend trying it out. This cigar could also pair well with a nice strong coffee, scotch or maybe a dark soda.

The post Alec Bradley Prensado Robusto appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Alec Bradley Family Blend seems to receive good reviews from various sources. Originally, the Family Blend was created for the smoking enjoyment of Alec Bradley’s 3 big shots/executives. It’s was first only available in a single size which is the one I will be reviewing today. Last year they announced an expansion of the line to a total of 5 vitolas.

One thing that immediately caught my eye about this cigar was the unique blend of tobacco leaves used in it’s creation. The Honduran and Nicaraguan leaves are fairly close geographically but the Indonesian leaves come from the opposite end of the world. Let’s see how these leaves blend together and jump right into the review.

Cigar: Alec Bradley Family Blend
Drink: Unibroue Brewery – Maudite
Vitola: No. 1 (5.5 x 50)
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Price: about $6.50
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A very oily wrapper encompasses this cigar with a medium cinnamon brown color
• The triple cap is very cleanly applied and finished with a small pigtail
• The cigar is quite firm when squeezed and consistent throughout
• There are a few visible medium sized veins but none that pose burn issues
• The foot is packed well but not as full as the cigar feels
• The cut was easy but made a big mess as the filler went flying everywhere
• The draw on this cigar is just as it should be, no complaints at all
• The band slid off nice and easy with no glue problems at all

Burn:
• Toasting was fairly quick and even, the foot was glowing nicely
• The burn is coming along very sharp through the first third
• Continuing with the stellar burn, the cigar has not wavered even a bit as I pass the mid-point
• I got my first wave in the burn near the last bit of this cigar but it managed to correct itself after a small purge
• I also noticed a small tunnel at this point which likely led to this problem, a slight squeeze on the cigar managed to close up the tunnel

Smoke & Ash:
• A nice mouthful of smoke right from the first draw
• Ash appears nice and tight with clean light grey lines
• Despite it’s appearance, the ash lasted only about half an inch before gently falling into the ashtray
• Resting smoke was fairly moderate
• The first ash was likely not a good indication as the second ash reached almost two inches

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper on this cigar has very little aroma, maybe just a slight tobacco scent
• The foot is similarly lacking in aroma, maybe just some hints of spice and tobacco
• Pre-light draw brought more of that spice and an added mix of cedar
• Initial draws bring a white pepper and nutmeg type spice mixed with a helping of woodsy and earthy notes
• The spice slowly settled into the background leaving the woodsy and earthy flavors to dominate
• The retrohale has been fairly mild with only a small bite and a woodsy finish
• The cigar itself has also been in the mild body range so far
• The flavors are not overly complex but they are smooth and balanced
• As I reach the half-way mark, the spice is slowly making a comeback, more of the nutmeg rather than the pepper
• The finish has also developed a slight creaminess to it although it seems to come and go
• As I approach the last third, the body has ramped up into the medium range and the retrohale has a little more bite
• As I approach the last inch, the pepper flavors have returned in full force along with a burnt woodsiness, the nutmeg and creaminess have disappeared at this point
• I got slight bit of bitterness as I approached the end and decided to let the cigar down a tad bit early at 1.5 hours before the harshness built up too much

Final Thoughts:
This was a well constructed and fairly good tasting cigar. I can definitely see how it can score high points on a lot of review sights. I’m personally slightly underwhelmed and I’ll try to explain. As I mentioned in the notes, the cigar was not overly complex. It seems like the cigar took the basic flavors of cigars and just melded them together in a well constructed stick. Now this is not necessarily a bad thing by any means but I feel it lacked character and brought nothing unique to the table. Would I smoke it again? Yes I would but it wouldn’t be my first pick. It scores big points in construction, ash, smoke, and burn. But only fairly good points in the flavor department. Don’t get me wrong here, this can be a very good smoke for most people or for those times when you want a trusty stick that is enjoyable and doesn’t require extra attention. But if you are looking for something new and different in the cigar world, this is not the stick for you.

Pairings:
Ah yes, another brew from one of my favorite Canadian breweries. I’ve had the Unibroue Maudite in previous pairings with the My Father Le Bijou 1922 and the La Aurora 1495. As I’ve said in those reviews, this is a very tasty dark amber beer that is fermented on a yeast base. It seems to do a good job of pairing with many different cigars and this was no exception. Other good pairing with this cigar would include a dark porter, coffee or my personal favorite, Tawny Port.

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Mystery Cigar #1

A nice looking Robusto cigar with a light brown wrapper below the band and a dark chocolate wrapper above the band (This signature gave away the identity of this cigar! hehe). Gives off a mostly woodsy aroma on the wrapper and the foot. Pre-light draw brings more of that great cedar taste with a bit of creaminess added to the mix. The draw is a touch tight but I’m still getting a fairly good mouthful of smoke.

Tons of woody/cedar notes through the first third with a bit of a creamy finish. Pairing well with my Mill Street Brewery Coffee Porter. Ash is strong and Zebra striped with some dark black spots but mostly light grey. The retrohale has a nice mild bit and a smooth creamy cedar finish.

The ash held on just past an inch before rolling into the ashtray. It stayed neat and clean without any flaking or splitting. The cigar needed a moderate correct just before the halfway mark. I should mention that it was travelling via mail through the cold Canadian weather for about 5 or 6 days and I lit it up the first night back, couldn’t wait to let it sit…

Getting some nice nutty flavors developing as the cigar passes the half-way mark, the cedar is still the most prominent flavor here. Now developing some espresso like flavors, a little bit bitter but not in a bad way, we’ll see how it progresses once I hit the darker wrapper. I was smoking pretty fast through the first half and has really slowed down now. When I hit the dark wrapper, the creamy cedar slowly changed to a sort of creamy cocoa, a very nice transition. The cocoa and espresso hung around till the nub.

Was pretty tasty cigar, I think having the darker wrapper at the halfway mark would have made it even better just cause I really enjoyed that part of it.

Reveal: Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta Series

Post-Reveal Notes:
A delicious cigar, I’ve been eyeing these ones for a while and glad I finally got the chance to try one. Definitely worth trying out, especially with a nice cup of coffee.

Mystery Cigar #3

A torpedo shaped cigar that is oddly tapered, seems to be a very slow taper. Looks to be a 5.5 x 50 or so. The wrapper is pretty unassuming, just a light brown color with a couple small veins and bumps. I cut it a fair ways in and still had a small opening and poor draw. Had to cut further after lighting cause I still had poor draw. Even with the second cut I feel like I’m getting lots of draw but barely any smoke. So far its making me feel like a budget stick.
The foot lit up easily and right from the start had a large peninsula forming. Despite my efforts to get it going it kept getting worse. After about an inch I needed a major correction. Another indication of a budget stick here. Draw is still going poorly, may have to cut a bit more.

Initial flavors are mostly of burning wood and cedar, not bad tasting but nothing earth shattering here. I’m getting a bit of dried fruit flavors here and there but it’s not sticking around much. The ash fell off just past the inch mark. Decided to poke the foot a bit with a toothpick and the draw FINALLY opened up! Much better now.

After ashing around the halfway mark I noticed a fair sized tunnel which is probably causing most of my burn and draw problems. The flavors are still pretty much the same, very woodsy. Starting to get bitter with about two inches left, tunnel is still there. I may have gotten a bad stick here, but I think this one is hitting the ashtray early…

Reveal: Cusano Corojo 1997

Post-Reveal Notes:
Just an ok cigar, don’t think I would seek this one out again. Haven’t had many Cusanos but so far haven’t had any good ones. It’s one of the lines I just haven’t dove into yet.

Mystery Cigar #4

A very dark, rich looking cigar. The wrapper is a dark chocolate brown with highlights looking almost black. It is very evenly constructed with no major veins and a clean triple cap. The wrapper has a sweet tobacco type of flavor and the foot gives aroma of hay, sweetness and a bit of coffee. Pre-light draw is mostly hay flavors with a touch of coffee added in.

Initial draws are pretty bland, just tobacco and hay. Hopefully this gets more interesting. Starting to get a bit of coffee notes here and there after about an inch, nothing special yet. Ash is nice and clean and holding strong. This cigar seems familiar to me, but I’m not sure yet. It seems to be in the mild/medium range and has a very mild retrohale with no bite and a bland hay-like finish. I must say the construction is excellent and it’s smoking nice and slow, just wish it had more flavor.

Approaching the half-way mark and still not much development in the flavor area. Now approaching the nub and still nothing. It’s not a bad smoke, just boring. The coffee flavors were always just barely there and disappeared a lot. Body built up to about medium, maybe a bit more. The construction was awesome though, never a burn issue, it gets points there I suppose.

I’m gonna throw a guess out there. I smoked an AB MAXX awhile ago and it was very similar, well made but boring. If not that, then maybe a budget Nicaraguan.

Reveal: Alec Bradley MAXX Traditional

Post-Reveal Notes: Wow, hit this one on the head! This band was a little different from the one I had and after a little research it’s the same blend just in “traditional” sizes instead of the larger ring gauges the the silver banded MAXX line comes in. And the same blend indeed, they were all fairly straightforward.

Mystery Cigar #6

A very light tan colored wrapper and a smaller vitola, almost around a 4.5 x 48 or so. The wrapper has some bumpiness and a few medium veins but nothing that looks problematic. The wrapper and foot both have an aroma of cedar and a hay. The cut was a bit messy but the draw was just about perfect, getting some nice spice on the pre-light draw. Toasting was easy and fairly even, lit up nicely.

Initial draws bring some interesting white pepper spice and a fair helping of cedar. Usually with spice like this you would get some bite on the retrohale but it was actually very mild with a smooth cedar finish.
The ash and burn aren’t pretty but are holding strong. Ash looks a bit messy and in the darker grey tones. Burn had a wave right from the start but it hasn’t gotten worse or better, just strolling along. I think I have a good guess that this is an EP Carrillo cigar since I’ve had a few of them lately but none in this vitola, and it seems a little weaker in body. Seems very familiar though. Body started off mild and is slowly approaching medium but it never quite got there.

Ash held on to about 1.5 inches, very nice. At the halfway mark I got some raisin or dried fruit type of flavor along with a bit of leather. Those flavors stuck around to the very end with very little bitterness. The dried fruits made me think of the 7-20-4, so I’m confused on this one. The burn was excellent the whole way through. I’m stumped on this one, don’t think I’ve had it before now.

Reveal: Gran Habano Connecticut #1

Post-Reveal Notes:
I’ve never really paid much attention to this cigar. Not sure why. It was definitely a tasty one and would make a great mild or early morning smoke. They are definitely on my future purchase list now.

Mystery Cigar #7

Looks to be a box-pressed toro sized cigar weighing in around 6×54 with a clean triple cap. The wrapper is rough and veiny with just one soft spot, the rest of the cigar has a nice medium spring to it. Pre-light draw is very grassy and earthy. The wrapper has pretty much no aroma and the foot has a bit more grassiness to it.

When I first looked at this it appeared to be a Cuban but after the first couple draws I’m pretty sure it’s not. But that definitely does not mean I’m not enjoying it. So far I’m getting a very nice cedar flavor with hints of leather and a slight spice that I can’t quite put my finger on. It toasted up nice and easy and is burning very even, although it is burning quite fast.

Although the draw feels good, it seems to be a bit airy as I’m not getting nearly as much smoke as I expect. Ash is a nice light grey color and is clean looking although it seems a bit weak. It still held on just over an inch.
A few inches in the burn is starting to go a bit wavy and the draw is still airy. Neither is hampering the experience much but let’s hope they correct themselves. The flavor is still mostly leather and cedar, with a bit of that original grassiness joining the mix. The cigar has been fairly mild/medium for the most part and the retrohale has no bite and a woodsy finish. Found a small hole under the band that was causing the airy-ness, much better draw now and a mouthful of smoke.

Around the half-way mark I started getting a bitter sweetness and the earthy notes came back. The grassy and woodsy flavors are still around while the minor spice and leather are gone.
A little past the half-way mark and the body is picking up and some spice is definitely making an appearance, seems to be a peppery and cloves type of spice. Shortly after the spice and with about an inch and a half left the cigar got fairly bitter, had to set it down soon after…

Reveal: Te-Amo World Selection Series – Nicaragua Blend

Post-Reveal Notes: hmmmm… an Altadis cigar… not surprised I was bored by it.

The post Another Blind Review Challenge by Daniel appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Today I will be lighting up the second cigar in this set. Needless to say with a selection like his, I can’t help but get all giggly each time I find the spare time to fire up one the cigars he sent over.

Prelight: #2 is wrapped in a very, very, very dark brown, almost black tobacco leaf. The leaf itself is pretty consistent in color with just a few darker spots especially concentrated around the head of the cigar. The wrapper seems pretty thick and gives off an almost duct tape type gleam as light shines off of its silky, oily texture. The wrapper is excellently laid and tapers off to a very large, beefy torpedo shaped cap. The cigar is firm for the most part, but there are a few softer areas dead center of the cigar’s body. I can’t pick up too much other than a really musky cedar smell coming from the wrapper as the foot of the cigar gives off the slightest hint of spice. Not much aroma coming off this unlit cigar what so ever.

The cap clipped clean off (although a little flaky) using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw surprisingly kicked out a massive burst of what could be best described as a spicy gingerbread. Maybe it’s a little too close to Christmas for me., but I swear that’s all I’m getting off this cold draw.

First Smoke: The cigar didn’t start off with the massive kick of spice I was expecting. It’s not to say the spice wasn’t there, it just wasn’t in the action packed form I thought it would be. Outside of the subtle spice/pepper the cigar packed a vibrant, woodsy taste, backed by a bit of leather and even some of that gingerbread flavor I picked up during the cold draw. The pepper is kind of interesting though. It’s not too noticeable in taste, but my lips and back of the throat are really feeling it. This cigar kicks out just an overly massive, effortless cloud of thick, grey smoke with every draw. Tons of stationary smoke as well. The burnline was all over the place at first but finally into the second third it began correcting itself.  The ash left behind was very flaky, and medium gray with dark black spots and only held on for a little over half an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: Early into the second third and I am already starting to feel the body in this cigar. One interesting note on my last blind review was the fact that I felt a bit of a full body experience, yet knowing that the cigar is now, I know it’s a mild/medium stick. Maybe I am not the best judge in body, or maybe this just goes to show that my theory is true. The strength of each cigar will always affect each smoker in different ways. Anywho, back to the review. The pepper and spice in this cigar is still just a tease. They’re not as potent as they were to begin with but they still sine through the cocoa, leather, woodsy flavors that have started to develop in the second third. The retrohale is killer, priming my nasal passage with a ton of pepper and cedar. The burnline is still a bit wild on one side of the cigar, but nothing to cause any concern. The ash has also taken a turn for the better with the body being much more smooth, compact and a consistent brownish-gray.

Finish: This cigar is really packing a punch. Into the final third and I am really getting a nice little nic-kick off of this one. The pepper has finally started to wear off and now the main flavors are a really smooth woodsy flavor, backed by a bit of earth tones, cocoa, and spice. I am also getting just a bit of harshness as I get to the mid-point of the final third. It’s a bit bitter, but could be worse.  The burnline has been consistently wavy leading me to think there might be a bit of ligero thrown into the mix. No touch ups or relights leading up to about an hour and a half total burn.

Overview: This was a great little cigar. The full body and very powerful flavors made for a great departure from your everyday, smoother, milder maduro.  Outside of the harsh bitterness that crept into the final third, this cigar was very enjoyable. It’s probably not something I would smoke everyday, but it’s the perfect cigar to keep on hand when you are out back, enjoying some late night coffee and relaxation.

Final Guess? I would have to say something Nicaraguan. Maybe the Oliva Serie V Maduro or the Alec Bradley Tempus. Whatever it is, it’s a spicy little cigar that boasts tons of body and excellent flavors.

The Reveal: This was actually an exact quote from Brooks when I sent him my guess:

“Not even close :), Oh, and I would not send you an AB Tempus, surely you think better of me then that? LOL!”

He then goes on to reveal what cigar this was:

“It was a LFD (La Flor Dominicana) Cabinet Maduro #6..Apparently, about once a month Litto picks out some cigars that have the darkest & most oily wrappers & when he get enough cigars to make a cab of 50,he sends them out to specific stores. Really great stick, & usually not easy to find…”

Very awesome. I would have never in a million years been able to guess this one. What a pleasant surprise. One a side note, Brooks had mentioned that there was a cigar in the bunch that was the only cigar that had ever mad him vomit. This was the cigar. He went on to explain hotboxing and smoking too fast was probably the main culprit. But that’s something to keep in mind if you ever do stumble across one of these cigars.

The post Blind Cigar Review #2 (from Brooks at Smoking Stogie) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Alec Bradley Prensado

I went through three of this sticks before formulating this review, two from trades that I had just resting in my humidor, and one was provided by one of our great sponsors Bonita Smoke Shop. All three were similar in vitola (Box Pressed Robusto), but oddly all of which changed up in color, from a dark, almost maduro to a soft light, creamy brown.

The Good Stuff: Alec Bradley’s Prensado was one of a number of much anticipated releases that went public during 2009’s IPCPR event in New Orleans this past year. It is create from a complex structure from  Honduran,  corojo wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder from Jalapa,  and a mixture of Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers. It is also said to be Alec Bradley’s strongest cigar to date. 

Size:Robusto 5 x 50 boxpress  –  Wrapper: Honduran corojo  –  Binder: Nicaragua  –  Filler: Nicaragua/Honduras  –  Body: Medium/Full   

Alec Bradley Prensado

Prelight: The Prensado carries with is a very unique, and enticing band. The band itself is white, and gold embroidered with hints of black, brown, and an odd but pleasant mixture of teal. The band is is very large and has an image of what looks to be a medieval leather chest plate (not to be confused with a football). The color of the wrapper is very consistent, and a light, creamy brown. The cigar itself is very firm and only soft at the bottom-most foot portion. There is a very large vein running down the entire length of the cigar, and I’d be very surprised if this vein didn’t offset the burn of the cigar. The Prensado has a very sweet, organic tobacco smell around the wrapper, and an almost fruity cedar smell coming from the foot. The cap is rounded off with the triple cap that I would love see as a set standard on all my cigars.

Alec Bradley Prensado

First Smoke: This cigar was cut using my Palio double blade cutter, and lit up very easily under even my single flame torch that I hate, and hardly ever use. Alec Bradley’s Prensado started out with a slight hint of pepper, that only tingled my tongue for a few seconds before quickly diminishing. As the pepper faded flavors of cedar, cocoa, and tobacco became present. Despite giving off a massive, and very thick draw, the Prensado give off little to no stationary smoke. The stationary smoke is extremely pleasant, and smells of lightly burning cedar. The cigar is starting off extremely smooth. The ash is a very flaky, dark grey. The burnline is extremely sharp, but as expected it is burning a deep, offset crevice due to the massive vein running through the body of this cigar. Surprisingly enough, the ash held on for about an inch and a half before it gave out.

Alec Bradley Prensado

Halfway There: The Presando just keeps getting smoother, and creamier the further I smoke into it. The main flavor is that of cedar. It seriously tastes as if I chopped up my humidor and wrapped it in corojo. To me, this cigar reminds me a lot of Camacho’s 2009 Liberty, only at less than half the price. As stated in my introduction, this is supposed to be Alec Bradley’s strongest cigar to date, but oddly enough I am getting absolutely no nicotine buzz. I am drinking a pretty high alcohol content beer too and not feeling anything off this smoke, amazing. After a big touch up to the foot, the cigar is finally burning dead even, and just as sharp as when I began smoking it.

Alec Bradley Prensado

Finish: Wow, just wow. The smoothness of the Prensado is overwhelming. I usually enjoy robusto, or smaller vitolas, but I would be quite curious to see how a churchill of these bad boys panned out. I smoked this one incredibly fast (about 1.25 hours) to finish, and there were no signs of harshness all the way down to the nub. The flavor stayed very consistent with smooth cedar being the prominent flavor backed by a creamy, milky, cocoa. I had no problems with the burn after the touch up after the first ash and took this bad boy down until I could no longer hold it. My hands never got too warm which was incredible due to the loose draw.

Alec Bradley Prensado

Overview: Overall I was very impressed with this cigar. I loved the Camacho Liberty 2009, just hated the price tag and exclusiveness of it. Alec Bradley’s Prensado is a perfect replacement for an everyday rotation. The price is somewhere in between $7 and $10 and well worth it. All three that I smoked took a touch up or two, but not anything serious, and the overall experience made up for it. This is a perfect, everyday smoke for the experienced, and even casual smoker. Now I just need to get my hands on a few more.

Alec Bradley Prensado

This cigar was paired with one of my favorite beers, Chimay White Tripel. The strength, bitterness, and fruity undertones were a perfect pair for such a smooth cigar.

Alec Bradley Prensado

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